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Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal Bars

Happy Thanksgiving (almost!)– I found a version of this recipe on one of my very, very favorite blogs– Joy the Baker– Have you read it yet? She is smart and sassy and after you’ve read 2 or 3 posts, you feel like she’s your best friend. And her recipes are just the kinds of things you’d like to make– and eat –and feed to friends. So this afternoon I whipped up her delicious pumpkin bars (with a couple tiny changes) and they were super!

In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugars, salt and oats. Then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until it’s all crumbly. Mix in the cup of chopped pecans. Take out about 1 cup of the mixture and set aside to be the topping.

Dump the rest of the oatmeal mixture into a 8″ square baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pat it down evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Put it in the fridge.

With an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth. Then mix in the pumpkin, egg & egg white, spice, salt and vanilla.

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crust in the pan. Crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over the top of the filling and top with the remaining chopped pecans. Bake it up at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until the bars feel firm to the touch. Let them cool completely before you cut them into polite little squares.